


The Dating Game

by Harleydoll



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Related, Charles likes to overcomplicate things in his mind, Drabble, F/M, Fluff, M/M, pub night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-11
Updated: 2011-12-11
Packaged: 2017-10-27 04:44:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/291748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harleydoll/pseuds/Harleydoll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Raven bets Charles that she can get more propositions than him at the bar. Takes place somewhere during the training sequence at the mansion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dating Game

The bar was a thirty minute cab ride from the mansion, but it was worth it. The past few days had been a blur of training with Hank, putting out Alex's fires, and watching Erik push his students off of satellites, not to mention the cumbersome task of maintaining a household of four teenagers, a Nazi hunter, and a CIA agent. Needless to say, when Raven requested some much needed quality time at the local pub, Charles was more than happy to comply. That night, sharing stories over beers and cola, it almost felt like they were back at Oxford again, only instead of lectures and work stories, the topic of conversation invariably strayed to their fellow mutants.

“...and I swear to God if Sean hits on me one more time, I'm going to hit him in the face,” Raven declared, much to Charles' amusement.

“Oh come on, it's not that bad.”

“Not that bad? The guy can't even come up with a decent pick-up line. 'Oh look, you like cocoa, I like cocoa, maybe--”

“Maybe we should get a bite sometime and talk about it,” Charles finished, and they both laughed. “He pulled the same thing on some girl at the aquarium where Erik and I found him. If she had a drink in her hand, I'm almost certain it would have ended up in Sean's face.”

“Oh, because 'it's a very groovy mutation' is so much better,” Raven teased. “Not that you really have to worry about it anymore, now that you have Erik.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“I know what's going on between you two, Charles. You think I can't tell when you're sitting there at dinner playing telepathic footsie and eye-fucking each other across the table? And then you disappear up to you bedroom with him to 'play chess', and we all know what that means.”

Charles fidgeted in his seat. “Erik and I are...complicated.”

“I don't see what's so complicated about it.”

“Neither do I,” Charles admitted. “But he's...hang on, what's wrong with my pick-up lines?”

“Well for starters, who even says 'groovy' anymore? I bet you that I could get more propositions than you right here in this bar.”

“You're on,” Charles downed the last of his beer and looked his sister in the eye. “Name your terms.”

“Powers and sexual orientation are fair game. First to five tangible results in the form of a drink, phone number, or PDA wins. And when I do, you're buying me something with alcohol in it. No more of this kid's table crap.”

“Alright, but if I win, you're taking my place for Alex's target practice tomorrow morning.”

Raven raised both eyebrows, but nodded in agreement. “Fair enough.” she turned and surveyed the room, her gaze resting on a tall blonde guy at the bar. “That one,” she said, gesturing to her target.

“Excellent choice, except for the part where he's taken,” Charles replied. “Look at his left hand.”

“And?” Raven stood and walked over to the young man and gave him her brightest smile. They conversed for a few moments before she stalked off to the bathroom, seemingly upset about being shot down. Charles, however, watched intently as another woman emerged in a tight red dress, black curls cascading down her back. She stood on her toes to kiss the blonde and winked at Charles. _That's one_ , Charles heard Raven's voice in his mind. He ignored her and raised two fingers to his temple. Before long two dark haired women appeared and sat down on either side of Charles. They flirted shamelessly for a few minutes before handing Charles two napkins bearing their numbers and identical smudges of cherry lipstick. Two, Charles smiled at Raven, who was now back in her usual blonde form and silently fuming. She stalked over to him and said, “that was a bit underhanded.”

“Oh yes, and posing as someone's wife is the very model of morality.”

“Touche.” Raven pivoted on her heel and shifted a few tables over, where a boy who looked barely old enough to drink was nursing a pint of lager and eyeing Charles and Raven intently.

“So are you two like...together?” Charles heard the boy ask.

“Oh no, he's my brother!” The boy returned Raven smile and gestured at the bartender, who nodded and promptly delivered another beer to Charles' table. Raven's face fell.

“You're not...”

“Into girls? No, sorry.” He shrugged apologetically.

Raven stood, defeated, and headed to the bar for another cola, glancing behind her to catch Charles holding up three fingers.

“One cola,” she said.

“Make it two.” Raven turned to face another tall blonde, this time obviously single and grinning down at her. “I'm Grant.”

“I'm taken,” Raven replied, nodding at Charles, “but thanks for the drink!”

Charles, meanwhile, had managed to chat up a leggy blonde across the room and who was now scrawling her phone number across Charles' palm.

 _One more to go. You might want to wear something less flammable tomorrow morning, Raven._

 _You wish_ , Raven shot back. She “accidentally” bumped into the man behind her, spilling her drink in the process, and smiled sheepishly. “I'm so sorry,” she gushed. “I'm just so clumsy sometimes.”

“Don't worry about it,” he replied. “Can I get you a fresh drink?”

“Don't mind if I do!” Raven took the offered cola and spent a few minutes flirting before returning to Charles. “Tie game,” she said. “And we're running out of people to harass. Ready to concede defeat?”

“Oh I don't think so,” Charles replied glancing over to the entrance. The pub was beginning to to empty as last call approached, and he watched Raven attempt to flirt with the few people still drinking alone. She returned ten minutes later, still tied with Charles' score.

“There's no one left except the married couple and that guy who sent you a drink.” Raven slumped onto her chair, defeated. “Maybe some idiot college kid will wander in and I can make him buy me a drink with the last of his cash.”

Charles only smiled, keeping one eye on the door. A moment later, it opened and Erik strode into the bar. Raven glared at Charles. “You asked him to come, didn't you?”

“Of course not, that would be cheating. He's going to offer us a ride home because he knew I was at the pub and I am, in his words, a 'complete lush'.”

“Aw, how sweet.” Raven rolled her eyes. “This is so not fair.”

Charles stood up and crossed the room, wrapped his arms around Erik and kissed him full on the lips. Erik pulled Charles closer and deepened the kiss, sliding his hands around Charles' waist and caressing the small of his back. When they finally broke their embrace, Charles turned to Raven, flushed and grinning ear to ear. Raven scowled back at him.

“Yeah, yeah, no aerosol hair spray tomorrow.”

“What are you two going on about now?” Erik glanced from Raven to Charles in confusion.

Charles took Erik's hand in his and smiled. “Trust me, my friend, you don't want to know.”

**Author's Note:**

> Not so "complicated" anymore, is it Charles? ;D


End file.
